After the First War, Pilotmario military planners realized the days of the Pummeler as a fighter were over. Engineers in both Pilotmario and Olympia have developed turbojet engines, and although these engines were relatively weak and inefficient, they showed great promise. While the Pummeler would continue to serve with distinction as an attack aircraft, its days as a frontline fighter were over.
The Air Force set out a requirement that wanted a maneuverable jet capable of flying beyond 600mph, powered by the new J50 engine. Several companies have submitted designs, but none compared to the simplicity and power of Linda Weiss' design. It was the only design to employ swept wings, and as a result, it was much faster and lighter than the competition.
The Pilotmario Air Force decided to procure 50 Hawk Mk I jets for testing purposes. While pilots were generally satisfied with the aircraft, they found the six Mk 6 12.7mm machine guns to be too underpowered for jet combat and recommended a more powerful engine. The Mk II introduced the significantly more powerful armament of four Mk 9 automatic cannons. 1,200 Hawk Mk II were produced.
The Hawk Mk III is widely seen as the definitive variant. It employed the more powerful J75 turbojet, providing a 50% boost to the engine power. It also provided short-range air-air missiles, making it a deadlier opponent. 22,000 of these aircraft were made.
It saw service in the Second War with distinction, providing a distinct advantage over the propeller-driven Athena fighter from the First War. General Armstrong Victor was so enthusiastic about the aircraft that he insisted it be upgraded instead of replaced, forcing other projects such as the Dart Interceptor to proceed at a crawl.
His insistence on using the Hawk jets led to wasted projects such as an interceptor variant and a ground attack variant. However, the aircraft proved inferior to the Dart and the Pummeler in these roles respectively, and his career was nearly ruined if it were not for his stellar performance of the VTOL variant. The Navy found these aircraft very good, and used them for much longer than the air force.
While the Hawk was a good jet, it suffered horribly at the initial stages of the Third War. There, the Pilotmario Air Force encountered the Hermes Fighter, a faster, more maneuverable aircraft. Only numerical superiority, powerful armament, and the introduction of the long-range fire-and-forget Interceptor missile gave the Hawk a fighting chance.
In Air Force service, it was replaced by the Dart Interceptor and the Renegade Fighter. The Pilotmario Navy retained them for longer, until the Renegade Navy Fighter was developed. The Renegade Navy employed a similar VTOL system to the Hawk. Some trainer variants are still used today, but are becoming phased out by the Hummingbird.
The type sold well, with numerous operators worldwide. Although not as common as the Pummeler, it shows up from time to time in regional conflicts. In many arsenals, it serves as a fighter-bomber. In Pilotmario Service, most have either been scrapped, converted into target drones, donated to museums, or sold cheaply to the highest bidder. Aircraft sold to civilians are devoid of armament and purely military equipment, although the Pilotmario Air Force will provide ballast to ensure balance.
@Pilotmario I wasn't planning to launch a Ballistic missile
Very high with a shot charge @SimpleTechAndResearch
Yep@Pilotmario
@SimpleTechAndResearch So you're planning to launch a ballistic missile, right?
They've got that too, and launch is the press of a button away. They will detect your missile, and then fire off their entire arsenal at all of us. When their nukes are in the air, we'd send our antimatter weapons and then we'd have a barren wasteland.
You cannot destroy all of their weapons at once. Even if one is still active, it will be certainly be lobbed at your capital. And these are MIRVs. When they fire one missile, they've got a dozen nukes inside. At the terminal point, they release and fall to Earth. Some of these are identical to the nukes, but are in fact decoys. So if three are decoys, that leaves nine nukes to fall on your cities.
This is why even though we are at war with the Olympians, we have an official emissary to facilitate communication regarding WMDs. Because if these weapons are deployed, it will result in mutually-assured destruction. In short, everyone loses.
In SP it is comparable to the OD-Thunder F-78 otherwise known as the T-4 @Pilotmario
@PINK It's comparable to the MiG-15 and the F-86.
@PINK Kinda is but what's the chances of them being hit?
Shaped charges kill tanks, and shot would be deviating to the fins and wings.@SimpleTechAndResearch
@PINK No. Ihod-10C Is blast proof past 2 Centimeters
So a missile that fires a shaped or flack charge could kill
It..... @SimpleTechAndResearch
@PINK It weighs about 5 Tons Every Yard if it's 3 Centimeters thick. Which is the missile
Imagine how much it must weigh.....@SimpleTechAndResearch @Pilotmario
@PINK So you don't know what ihod-10C is?
IDIOT@SimpleTechAndResearch @Pilotmario
@PINK It's made of Blast proof Metal.
Nope, not possible...@SimpleTechAndResearch
@PINK But the Nucelar missile is Missile proof. No matter the size. No matter the Speed.
So easy to hit with a sam.....okay@SimpleTechAndResearch
@PINK Think of a missile, And then think of it being the size of a Large Heavy Bomber And the missile is nuclear.
What is it?@SimpleTechAndResearch
@PINK But if anyone Here declares war on SimpleTech I'm activating another Special weapon.
Okay@SimpleTechAndResearch
@PINK I won't.
Better not kill guerrillas or NFK troops! @SimpleTechAndResearch
So like a MiG-15 or a F-86. @Pilotmario